The Death of the English High Street

[seafoid]

Is this having any impact in the Wee Six hi ?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/16/blockbuster-uk-in-administration
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/15/140-uk-retailers-critical-condition
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/15/hmv-gift-cards-christmas
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/11/jessops-shuts-stores-1370-job-losses

as England becomes a nation of online shopkeepers

[From the Bunker]

Every day i look at the local Xtravision shop in my locality and see it gradually sink and sink. It has gone from a movie rental shop into a Sweet shop with birthday Cards, that sells old used DVD's. Anyone under the age of 30 and over the age of 8 rarely frequent these shops anymore and in the past this would be the main age catchment. Piracy online, Netflix etc, means that you can decide on a whim to watch a Movie and in turn have no worries about fines for bringing the DVD back a day or three late.

[clarshack]

did xtravision not go into administration a year or 2 ago?

[Rois]

Xtravision in Ireland came out of examinership.  It's backed by a venture capital fund run by NCB. 

I was in Xtravision on Sat night (to get ice cream).  It was very busy actually, busier than I thought. 

[Bingo]

I'd agree about Xtravision heading for the door.

Monaghan town is a reasonable enough size town, the xtra vision has gone from a decent sized store to a very small store and seems to be just trying to sell off its old pre-owned stock. Not much to it.

Maybe it can survive at this size but it at the mercy of how it does nationwide and how the bigger stores do.

[nrico2006]

I still regularly go to Xtra Vision and at the weekends it is very busy, can't see it doing much during the week though and it is inevitable that it will fold at some point.  HMV is the only shop I would really go for in the local shopping Centre. 

[bennydorano]

Xtravision  in Armagh is very good & busy lookin anytime i'm about it.

Would the impact of netflix etc... Not be overstated? Anyone that i know who joined soon left, saying that it was only older stuff available - very few (if any) of the newest releases.

[theticklemister]

I owe xtra vision10 quid.

They lost one customer!!!!!

The wee 'dvd shop' in shantallow is getting my business from now on!!!

[Bingo]

The Irish can be serious idiots.

Yesterday the news and this mornings papers where all about the consumer losing vouchers, people lifting from the stores in lieu of using vouchers and how the consumer was been affected. It was almost secondary that the HMV stores could close and jobs lost.

From looking at Sky and Uk news it was all about the threat to the business and why where high street stores failing, could the jobs be saved? Vouchers where hardly mentioned.

Today HMV didn't open stores, the consumer rights crew rode in to HMV mgt telling them they had to honour vouchers, we know you're set up different from UK, blah blah. Almost forcing them into receivership and having to close the doors fearing widespread looting from people with vouchers such was the noise been made in the media.

Have the do gooders forced them to close the doors? I think it's likely and in these situations, when the doors close they don't open again.

[Tony Baloney]

The Irish can be serious idiots.

Yesterday the news and this mornings papers where all about the consumer losing vouchers, people lifting from the stores in lieu of using vouchers and how the consumer was been affected. It was almost secondary that the HMV stores could close and jobs lost.

From looking at Sky and Uk news it was all about the threat to the business and why where high street stores failing, could the jobs be saved? Vouchers where hardly mentioned.

Today HMV didn't open stores, the consumer rights crew rode in to HMV mgt telling them they had to honour vouchers, we know you're set up different from UK, blah blah. Almost forcing them into receivership and having to close the doors fearing widespread looting from people with vouchers such was the noise been made in the media.

Have the do gooders forced them to close the doors? I think it's likely and in these situations, when the doors close they don't open again.

Martin Lewis (MoneySavingExpert) was accused yesterday of fueling this very behaviour. He told anyone witha voucher to get down to the nearest HMV last night nefore they closed as they might not be around much longer to honour vouchers.

[boojangles]

The Irish can be serious idiots.

Yesterday the news and this mornings papers where all about the consumer losing vouchers, people lifting from the stores in lieu of using vouchers and how the consumer was been affected. It was almost secondary that the HMV stores could close and jobs lost.

From looking at Sky and Uk news it was all about the threat to the business and why where high street stores failing, could the jobs be saved? Vouchers where hardly mentioned.

Today HMV didn't open stores, the consumer rights crew rode in to HMV mgt telling them they had to honour vouchers, we know you're set up different from UK, blah blah. Almost forcing them into receivership and having to close the doors fearing widespread looting from people with vouchers such was the noise been made in the media.

Have the do gooders forced them to close the doors? I think it's likely and in these situations, when the doors close they don't open again.

That's aload of BS Bingo. People kicking up a fuss about not having their vouchers honoured are to blame for HMV Ireland going into receivership? Widespread looting? This isn't Greece.
They only have themselves to blame. HMV management took a decision to not honour vouchers as happened in Henry St store on Monday. That is where the blame lies. Nowhere else.

[theticklemister]

Boojangles is correct.

[boojangles]

Boojangles is correct.

Yeah, this isn't Greece. He's one to watch is boojangles.

Nobody better than yourself for that job. Sit in front of the screen all day, every day. Watch, Creep, Obsess. Hardstation has it covered.

[Bingo]

The Irish can be serious idiots.

Yesterday the news and this mornings papers where all about the consumer losing vouchers, people lifting from the stores in lieu of using vouchers and how the consumer was been affected. It was almost secondary that the HMV stores could close and jobs lost.

From looking at Sky and Uk news it was all about the threat to the business and why where high street stores failing, could the jobs be saved? Vouchers where hardly mentioned.

Today HMV didn't open stores, the consumer rights crew rode in to HMV mgt telling them they had to honour vouchers, we know you're set up different from UK, blah blah. Almost forcing them into receivership and having to close the doors fearing widespread looting from people with vouchers such was the noise been made in the media.

Have the do gooders forced them to close the doors? I think it's likely and in these situations, when the doors close they don't open again.

That's aload of BS Bingo. People kicking up a fuss about not having their vouchers honoured are to blame for HMV Ireland going into receivership? Widespread looting? This isn't Greece.
They only have themselves to blame. HMV management took a decision to not honour vouchers as happened in Henry St store on Monday. That is where the blame lies. Nowhere else.

Boojangles, missing my point. It's clear HMV where on this road, but why have the Irish stores closed but not the UK stores? HMV took the standard decision of any business in same position re the vouchers.

My main bone is that the Irish reaction is "what about my €20 voucher", while the UK and more correct reaction, should about the jobs lost and longer term damage.

[boojangles]

The Irish can be serious idiots.

Yesterday the news and this mornings papers where all about the consumer losing vouchers, people lifting from the stores in lieu of using vouchers and how the consumer was been affected. It was almost secondary that the HMV stores could close and jobs lost.

From looking at Sky and Uk news it was all about the threat to the business and why where high street stores failing, could the jobs be saved? Vouchers where hardly mentioned.

Today HMV didn't open stores, the consumer rights crew rode in to HMV mgt telling them they had to honour vouchers, we know you're set up different from UK, blah blah. Almost forcing them into receivership and having to close the doors fearing widespread looting from people with vouchers such was the noise been made in the media.

Have the do gooders forced them to close the doors? I think it's likely and in these situations, when the doors close they don't open again.

That's aload of BS Bingo. People kicking up a fuss about not having their vouchers honoured are to blame for HMV Ireland going into receivership? Widespread looting? This isn't Greece.
They only have themselves to blame. HMV management took a decision to not honour vouchers as happened in Henry St store on Monday. That is where the blame lies. Nowhere else.

Boojangles, missing my point. It's clear HMV where on this road, but why have the Irish stores closed but not the UK stores? HMV took the standard decision of any business in same position re the vouchers.

My main bone is that the Irish reaction is "what about my €20 voucher", while the UK and more correct reaction, should about the jobs lost and longer term damage.

Well I don't agree with your observation of the Irish reaction. I heard plenty about the threat of jobs going but to put it in context; nearly four thousand jobs are at risk in the UK, three hundred at risk in Ireland. By not honouring the vouchers they were always going to attract negative media attention. Most HMV shops in Ireland should be profitable. No reason to take such a decision to try and screw over the ordinary shopper.